AJ, I Love the fact that Kool_Aid is now your profile picture. OH YEAH!!!!

You said all that but didn't ask a question.

 

The question was implicit in what he wrote: Do any Chicagoans have any definitive information on where in the business district skateboarding is permitted or prohibited, and whether there are any specific rules to follow to stay out of trouble? :)

 

I know...I was being persnickety.

 

LOL, MTS just doesn't want me disrupting the peacefulness of Oak Street.

You said all that but didn't ask a question.

 

The question was implicit in what he wrote: Do any Chicagoans have any definitive information on where in the business district skateboarding is permitted or prohibited, and whether there are any specific rules to follow to stay out of trouble? :)

 

I know...I was being persnickety.

 

LOL, MTS just doesn't want me disrupting the peacefulness of Oak Street.

 

Am I that predictable? ;)

... a while back ...

 

Ok, this is probably a REALLY STUPID question so feel free to poke fun.

 

I had change today and decided to try parking at one of the $3.50 lots, which do not have a credit card machine, unlike the $4 lot I have been parking in since I started driving. 

 

I really don't understand how you're supposed to pay.  There is a big metal box with all the numbers of the parking spaces, and each number has a teeny, tiny hole about as wide as a paper clip.  There is also a box that looks like a mailbox that says it's to deposit violations.  So clearly you don't put your money in there.  The "instructions" say to fold bills.  Are you seriously supposed to be able to fold bills up to the size of a paper clip to slide into that slot?  And what do you do with the change?  Obviously that doesn't fit in the slot.  And how would whomever collects the money know by looking at the board that you've paid?  I really don't understand the logic of this system.  I mean, what time do they come and collect the money, and do they just make a list of all the numbers that have money in the slots and then physically go around matching it up to the spaces, or what? What if you come after they collect, do they come again later on?  I didn't know what to do with the change and I couldn't fathom folding my bills down to coke-snorting size and shoving them in this hole with no proof of payment while it was raining, so I just paid at the $4.00 lot.

RnR, yep that is how that works. The slots are just big enough for quarters. There is also that metal crammer thing hanging off the box to push the bills in. I think the whole system works on the the honor system for the most part. Our 50 cent lot had a ticket machine and basically you could leave a pile of old tickets on your dash  and not get a violation, until they did a spot check and noticed that most of the cars did not have "new" tickets for that day. Then they would hammer the lot for a week and write violations daily, until people started buying tickets again. So as long as most of the box was full of money, he probably wouldn't even check every spot on a cold and rainy day. Of course if the lot is completely full that would be pretty easy to identify those that didn't pay, too.

But the slot is NOT big enough for a quarter.  It's seriously as wide as a paper clip.  You couldn't even fit a penny through there.

 

As for the honor system, perhaps you're right.  I decided to wait to see what someone else did so I could ape them, but the woman parked, got out of her car and just walked away from the lot without paying.  I suppose maybe she had a monthly pass or something, but I kind of doubt it. 

 

 

At least it was only $2.50, the surface lot next to my building has one of those and it's $7.00 and if you are paying with all singles the last two or three bills really realy do not want to go in there.

 

It may be some sort of ghetto homemad box, but all the ones that I have used are just big enough, zero room on all foursides, for a quarter.

Maybe you put the quarter in flatways on top of the number.  But the slot seriously is not big enough, it's only about 1 centimeter across.

Maybe you put the quarter in flatways on top of the number.  But the slot seriously is not big enough, it's only about 1 centimeter across.

 

Did it look like this? You shove the cash perpendicularly into the slot, and the change you press it flat in the circular recessed area and it should fall into the box.

Yes!  It didn't occur to me til I was driving over to the other lot that maybe you put the coin in flat against the number.  But seriously, getting the bills into that tiny slot, that just seems ridic.  I guess I will try it tomorrow.  So much for using my dollar coins, those wouldn't fit over the number.

Yes! It didn't occur to me til I was driving over to the other lot that maybe you put the coin in flat against the number. But seriously, getting the bills into that tiny slot, that just seems ridic. I guess I will try it tomorrow. So much for using my dollar coins, those wouldn't fit over the number.

 

Oh yeah, Dollar coins won't work...

I paid at the cheaper lot today.  Honestly, standing in the cold and working to roll/fold dollars up to such a teensy size is a complete pain in the ass.  I know that sounds trite, but I have arthritis in my hands and my hands were painful and cramping after doing this with 3 bills (I can't imagine having to pay $7 as someone above said!).  I think it's worth 50 more cents a day to not have to deal with this.  I also saw 2 more people who parked and walked away this morning. Can they really all have monthly passes, or am I just the only sucker paying.

AJ, I Love the fact that Kool_Aid is now your profile picture. OH YEAH!!!!

He he. As soon as I saw it, it was love at first sight.

I paid at the cheaper lot today. Honestly, standing in the cold and working to roll/fold dollars up to such a teensy size is a complete pain in the ass. I know that sounds trite, but I have arthritis in my hands and my hands were painful and cramping after doing this with 3 bills (I can't imagine having to pay $7 as someone above said!). I think it's worth 50 more cents a day to not have to deal with this. I also saw 2 more people who parked and walked away this morning. Can they really all have monthly passes, or am I just the only sucker paying.

 

You may be the only sucker paying right now, but I have to think that as the weather warms up 'enforcement' will improve as well. It wasn't uncommon to see little 'tickets' on the windshields during warmer months.

I sure hope so.  I'm kind of dishonest in small ways like this by nature, but I really don't want a parking ticket so I keep paying, but it makes me feel like I'm betraying my true ways to do so.

 

 

... a while back ...

 

 

nice

... a while back ...

 

 

way cool!

You said all that but didn't ask a question.

 

The question was implicit in what he wrote: Do any Chicagoans have any definitive information on where in the business district skateboarding is permitted or prohibited, and whether there are any specific rules to follow to stay out of trouble? :)

 

I know...I was being persnickety.

 

LOL, MTS just doesn't want me disrupting the peacefulness of Oak Street.

 

Am I that predictable? ;)

 

 

You should come by these days.  Ever since Barney's built the new 6 story beast, it sent all the stores on Oak into musical chairs mode.  They are all reshuffling into bigger stores, and the old Barney's is now occupied by Hermès.  I'm hoping when Block 37 Mall finishes up, they won't compete too much with some of the duplicates in my neighborhood despite being on the complete opposite side of downtown.  Of course B37 has it's own problems...exactly what you'd expect of a place that has a traffic accident as their logo.

 

Anyways, I got some info from the city via Human Resources at my office.  There is a law against skateboarding downtown in zones that are specifically designated "downtown."  My workplace and apartment are within those zones, so fail.  BUT, enforcement is not strict at all, if I commute to work via skateboard in a method that is safe and prudent, I should be fine.  Typically it was used as a strategy to remove skaters from office building plazas....especially the daley center where it was apparently the worst, and to keep them out of the chaotic business corridors.  I did find that skateboarding on the streets is absolutely forbidden, and I must use the sidewalks.  I'd really prefer the street.

Maybe you put the quarter in flatways on top of the number. But the slot seriously is not big enough, it's only about 1 centimeter across.

 

I don't know why it didn't occur to me until this morning's bill-folding/shoving, to just go get several rolls of quarters so I can just use all quarters. Will do that at lunch.  The card reader at the lot I was using a CC with is DED so this will force me into using the cheaper lot, which is a good thing anyway.

Just think, f it wasn't for overbearing Rapid propaganda, you'd never have learned all this interesting stuff about unattended parking lots!

So true!

Yay!  I was actually able to get on UO at 9:30 in the morning, contrary to like the past solid two weeks!  Hooray!  Okay, now back to other off-topic discussions.

I'm having the worst week at work.  It is so busy and I am so tired, it's hard to be perfect 100% of the time.  I just want to go home.  And I have to work through lunch as I have to leave early, mr. RNR just called and said he has to work late and can't pick up little RNR.

Aww my new ESL pupil and his mom brought me all these Dominican and Columbian cookies.

 

I'm all veklempted.

 

Thing No. 1 wisked them away.  Damn Brooklyn PR's.  Can't take them nowhere!

Why did I chuckle and think of Lemmiwinks from South Park?

 

 

Douglas Spink Arrested In BESTIALITY Case: Mice In Vaseline, Dogs, Horses Found At Exitpoint Stallions Limitee

Huffington Post, April 16, 2010

 

SEATTLE -- A convicted cocaine smuggler has been arrested for running what authorities say appears to be a bestiality farm in Washington state in which visitors could engage in all sorts of twisted sex acts with animals.

 

(...)

 

"This stuff is just truly bizarre," he said. "These were mice that had their tails cut off, they were smothered in Vaseline and they had string tied around them."

 

--

 

You should really read more into this guy's history. Made a fortune, lost it all, then dealt drugs, and now... this!

Lets ban the phrase "Talking Points" on UO

Only if we can ban the talking points too!

Oh good, I thought I had killed the Off Topic thread!

When I heard this on the radio today I thought of that guy in Washington.  At least we can sleep comfortably knowing he now has the means to pay for his defense.

 

http://www.examiner.com/x-43664-Animal-Rights-Examiner~y2010m4d20-The-Supreme-Court-repeals-1999-law-prohibiting-animal-cruelty-videos

 

The Supreme Court repeals 1999 law prohibiting animal cruelty videos

April 20, 6:59 PMAnimal Rights ExaminerMichele Whitney

 

A 1999 federal law that banned the sale and circulation of videos focusing on animal cruelty has been repealed by the Supreme Court.  These videos, referred to as "crush videos" feature animal torture as a sexual fetish.  According to the Washington Post, the content of these videos include animals being killed and tortured by women crushing them with their feet or with high heeled shoes.

 

The saga of my parking lot woes continue.  Just when I thought I had it all solved by getting the quarters, last Thursday I was 2 quarters away from completing my payment and the quarter jammed in the box.  Couldn't shove it in, couldn't pull it out.  I decided to see if anyone really is policing these lots and take a chance, and I came back to a $25 parking ticket, which goes up to $50 in 14 days if not paid.  So right then I called the # on the violation and left a really nice and polite message explaining what happened and saying that if I had moved to another spot and paid again, I'd be contacting them for a refund for the $3 I had already paid which I'd have no proof of, and which they probably wouldn't give me, and perhaps we could come to an agreement - I could pay them the $.50 I owed and we could waive the violation.  Nobody responded.  Monday I called again and left a 2nd message, a little less polite, saying that if their answer was "screw you, you have to pay the ticket," I would ask that they at least have the courtesy to return my call and tell me so before the 14 day window expired.  Guy called back and left a message to disregard the ticket, no worries.  Great!  I tried to park there again yesterday, and my 2nd quarter jammed (completely different space/slot).  I went and moved my car to another spot, couldn't get my quarter into that slot either.  I ended up moving to the lot across the street, which is .50 more but has a credit card reader and an electronic/normal dollar bill reader.  I simply don't have time in the morning to be f*cking around with jammed quarters and moving my car to 3 different spaces to find one that I can actually pay for.  WTF.

RnR is all this really worth not having to listen to a few RTA announcements?

:)  Yep.  There are clearly problems with all commutes, but I surely do enjoy listening to the music of my choice with no background noise, or talking on the phone without announcements interrupting it, or listening to nothing if that's what I feel like, and just rolling the windows down and feeling the breeze.  I also enjoy not being late every T/W/H.  I was late every T/W/H taking the train because of the drive time from my daycare provider to the rapid, then the wait for a train. Now I am early on those days because I can drive downtown so much quicker.  You have no idea how maddening it is to hear the same cutesy announcement day after day after day about how we all don't need to know what you're having for dinner, ha ha.  It just makes you want to pull out an uzi.

Actually as I do take the train every day I do know about the announcements.  However, maybe it is just a personal thing.  I was always told that I have "selective" hearing so maybe I can just tune out the excess noise better. 

 

Good to hear that driving allows your schedule to work better.  It's an issue that I'm sure I will be facing in about 1-2 years.

"Does anybody know any interesting places around Columbia? I know a few places but I have a hobby where I like to smoke in weird places. happy 420 everybody"

I just don't know whom to believe! All the proponents on the train threads talk about how they get so much work done!   :wink:

 

Those people are talking about long-haul Amtrak trains, not light rail commuter trains.  There's a little difference there.

:) Yep. There are clearly problems with all commutes, but I surely do enjoy listening to the music of my choice with no background noise, or talking on the phone without announcements interrupting it, or listening to nothing if that's what I feel like, and just rolling the windows down and feeling the breeze. I also enjoy not being late every T/W/H. I was late every T/W/H taking the train because of the drive time from my daycare provider to the rapid, then the wait for a train. Now I am early on those days because I can drive downtown so much quicker. You have no idea how maddening it is to hear the same cutesy announcement day after day after day about how we all don't need to know what you're having for dinner, ha ha. It just makes you want to pull out an uzi.

 

Simple matter of the fact is that it is easy to commute by car in Cleveland, simply that.  And that is why alot of your "suburbanites" are not big proponents for bringing more light rail throughout the city.  Really, there is not much inconvenience in driving around Cleveland.  I did live in Chicago for 2 years, and I must say, I did everything I could to take the train just so I would be backed up on 290 and 88. 

and I'm willing to be inconvenienced, a little.  I try to be as "green" as I can and driving to work doesn't really fall into that, so I traded being a little late several days a week for the green aspect of it, especially when it was cheaper.  Now that it's a wash, cost-wise, it wasn't as easy of an argument but I continued to take it for green aspects.  But with the annoying announcements, that just pushed it over the edge for me. It's not worth getting to work in a horrible mood or having to plug my ears or turn my music up so loud I'm in danger of hearing loss just to drown out the overly long, cutesy announcements pointing out faux points of interest.  It's really too bad.

:) Yep. There are clearly problems with all commutes, but I surely do enjoy listening to the music of my choice with no background noise, or talking on the phone without announcements interrupting it, or listening to nothing if that's what I feel like, and just rolling the windows down and feeling the breeze. I also enjoy not being late every T/W/H. I was late every T/W/H taking the train because of the drive time from my daycare provider to the rapid, then the wait for a train. Now I am early on those days because I can drive downtown so much quicker. You have no idea how maddening it is to hear the same cutesy announcement day after day after day about how we all don't need to know what you're having for dinner, ha ha. It just makes you want to pull out an uzi.

 

I took a vacation to Cleveland a couple of summers ago and found the Rapids to be very relaxing, easy, and quiet to ride.  I went to every station in the system (I know, I really need a life).  THEN, I had a layover in Cleveland last month on my way out to Rhode Island and decided to take the Rapid into Tower City and back.  That ONE ride was enough to make me debate taking a different mode back to the airport.  As someone who chooses destinations to ride mass transit systems, that says a lot.  Those announcements are incredibly annoying.  RTA is making a huge mistake with that. 

 

On a positive note, I used Tower City Station as an optimal example connectivity between mass transit and central business districts in my Architecture and Human Behavior class last week.  My prof loved the pictures.

LOOK! A negative FORBES list with NO Ohio cities on it!!!

 

Ten U.S. Cities In Free Fall

Francesca Levy, 04.09.10, 04:20 PM EDT

Economic indicators in these metros have gone from bad to worse, with no sign of recovery.

 

Miami boasts a popular South Beach club scene, Art Deco Architecture, and perhaps the best Cuban food in the country. But residents don't have much else to celebrate.

 

...

 

http://www.forbes.com/2010/04/09/cities-top-ten-lifestyle-real-estate-unemployment-home-prices.html

:) Yep. There are clearly problems with all commutes, but I surely do enjoy listening to the music of my choice with no background noise, or talking on the phone without announcements interrupting it, or listening to nothing if that's what I feel like, and just rolling the windows down and feeling the breeze. I also enjoy not being late every T/W/H. I was late every T/W/H taking the train because of the drive time from my daycare provider to the rapid, then the wait for a train. Now I am early on those days because I can drive downtown so much quicker. You have no idea how maddening it is to hear the same cutesy announcement day after day after day about how we all don't need to know what you're having for dinner, ha ha. It just makes you want to pull out an uzi.

 

I took a vacation to Cleveland a couple of summers ago and found the Rapids to be very relaxing, easy, and quiet to ride. I went to every station in the system (I know, I really need a life). THEN, I had a layover in Cleveland last month on my way out to Rhode Island and decided to take the Rapid into Tower City and back. That ONE ride was enough to make me debate taking a different mode back to the airport. As someone who chooses destinations to ride mass transit systems, that says a lot. Those announcements are incredibly annoying. RTA is making a huge mistake with that.

 

On a positive note, I used Tower City Station as an optimal example connectivity between mass transit and central business districts in my Architecture and Human Behavior class last week. My prof loved the pictures.

 

Prok, I wonder if you'd consider posting this on the RTA thread?

Sometimes I really loathe men.  Not you guys on the board of course, just stupid, annoying men.  I'm posting this as an example of the kind of harrassment you have to subject yourself to on a daily basis just by being a woman.  I think men are just completely oblivious to these daily occurrences women deal with and that they're going on all around you, all the time.

 

I had a dentist appointment at 11 this morning.  I work downtown (CLE).  My dentist is a little over a half mile walk away.  I set off at a brisk pace with my head down and a hat pulled almost completely over my head because of the cold temps and high winds, wearing a thermal/quilted jacket, black dress pants and black Chuck Taylors, my walking shoes today.  I was going along at a pretty good clip and as I approached the CVS on Euclid near 9th, I saw a man loitering around outside, smoking a cigarette.  Standing near one of those fold-up signs about how you shouldn't give spare change to the homeless but instead give it where it's needed.  It seemed odd that he would be standing there, and he was watching the storefront, and I expected him to either ask me for money as I passed or expected him to be bothering the old lady coming out of the store.  I remember thinking there was a possibility he was just waiting for someone who was inside shopping and having a smoke while he waited.  He let both me and the old lady pass by him, she went the other way, and I continued on down Euclid.  I was all the way up just about to 12th street when I hear RUNNING behind me and I whirl around and it's this asshole from in front of CVS, and he's going, "excuse me, excuse me!"  I only stopped and turned around as I thought maybe I dropped something.  I whirled around and stopped all in one motion and said, loudly and sternly, "WHAT!"  At that point, had he said oh, you dropped this, I'd be all apologies for being nasty and thank him nicely, etc, but that wasn't the case, of course.  He starts in like this, "I'm not a vagrant, I just want to ask you a question.  Can I ask you a question?"  I interrupt him before he's even done and groan loudly, with annoyance, and turn around and start walking again and he's RUNNING up beside me and he's going, "can't I just ask you a question? I'm not a homeless guy or something, hey, hey..."  I keep walking and I said, now almost yelling, "LEAVE ME THE F*CK ALONE OR I'M CALLING THE POLICE."  "Hey," he continues, running alongside me, "Hey, it's a free country! I can walk on this sidewalk too!  There's no law that says I can't walk on the same sidewalk as you! I just wanted to get directions or something."  I keep walking, whip out my phone, find the DCA number and call them up.  "There's a man bothering pedestrians on Euclid, at around E 12th street."  They asked for a description, which I was able to give them in detail as he continued to walk next to me, increasingly pissed off and muttering to himself. Now of course I'm watching the guy like a hawk in case he pulls out some kind of weapon or goes to attack me, and I let him walk in front of me a little so he wouldn't be behind me where I couldn't see him.  As I hung up the phone, darted in front of me and entered the Halle building and said, "This was where I was going anyway. Want to join me?"  I just ignored him and kept on walking.

 

I would venture to say that none of you have to deal with this kind of thing on a daily basis.  It's not only annoying, it's the kind of thing that leads people, especially women, to believe an area is unsafe.  This was 11am on a sunny weekday, not 2am on a Saturday morning.  And no, he didn't attack me or anything and so I wasn't in danger, but you just NEVER KNOW when you will be in danger, or if the guy is nuts and has a few screws loose, and you have to really watch yourself when approached by someone like this.  If he would have gotten any closer to me when he was running up to me, he'd have been down on the ground because I know how to defend myself, but a lot of women don't.

 

The guy was not there when I returned.  I assumed I would see at least some DCA prescence on the street as a patrol or even bike presence, but nobody was there.  I don't know whether or not they came by, didn't see him and went on their way or what, but we need people out there patrolling the streets for just this exact type of reason. 

RnR, please don't take offense to this, but I really don't understand how this is related to you being a woman. This happens quite frequently to me and a man walking down the street.  And usually when I indulge them by letting them ask me a question it's almost always about money.  One time, when I was completely certain that this person was going to ask me for money, a man ran after me shouting "Excuse me, I have a question..." and when he caught up to me he asked me if I'd been tested lately.  Then he gave me info to the Aids Resource Center of Wisconsin for free testing.  (Note, I'm in Milwaukee) 

 

Just saying, if you weren't actively being whistled at or being eyed up and down, this might be a case where you over-reacted.  Regardless, I'm sorry you had a bad experience and I hope your night goes better.

 

PS - if you want to take the RTA "announcement" issue to the top, I'll be your tourist testimony. ;)

I don't think RnR overreacted in this case.  It is very scary to have someone follow you.  She asked him to leave her alone, and he didn't.  I think if he had really just wanted to ask directions, he would have left her alone and found someone else to ask.  If that was what all he really wanted, he could have just walked into CVS and ask for directions instead of following someone.  Now, I don't know what he wanted, but the man's behavior would have been suspicious to me as well.

^ I don't think RnR overreacted either, but I don't think it was sexism. I've been followed down the street by people like that before too.

I don't take offense, but it is just different when you are a woman.  A male beggar approaching another male on the street is an annoyance, but usually not a physical threat. Women are physically vulnerable.  If the beggar is just a little crazy, he's likely not going to take on another male for no reason, but he might just decide the woman is being a "bitch," (which I've been called innumerable times for reacting this way to strangers who approach me), and decide to retaliate in some way.

 

I wouldn't say I was scared, but I was startled, and disturbed when he continued up the street and continued to talk to me after I clearly told him to leave me alone.  If it had been dark and there was nobody else on the street, I would have been scared.

That sort of thing has happened to me before, but I agree it is different for a woman than a man.  That said, the part where you were almost yelling at him that you were going to call the police probably didn't help the matter.  You just challenged a man with nothing better to do and nothing to lose to a battle of wills.

He shouldn't have bothered me to begin with.  JMO, but I think it's completely unacceptable to suggest that because I didn't react in a more quiet manner (or to try to ignore him, even though he was practically on top of me) that I did something wrong.  I tried turning and walking away with a groan, he didn't take that as enough of a rejection and kept coming, so that's when I got loud.

^ I don't think RnR overreacted either, but I don't think it was sexism. I've been followed down the street by people like that before too.

 

But do you fear for your physical safety because of it?  Do you worry the person is going to drag you into an alley and rape you?  Because that kind of thing does happen all the time to women.  It doesn't generally happen to men.

I've been to a few self-defense seminars, including one taught by an ex-cop.  All of them have said if the other person does back away when you ask them to, then yell and cuss at them.